Firman vs Honda??

[skipgundlach]

Firman vs Honda??

So, I take a lot of salt water aboard, and my Honda eu2000i is very unhappy about that.

Because we're overloaded with everything else related to a swamping, and doing other boat chores, I forget that we've had enough water in the cockpit to get it thoroughly wet, and immersed to some inches before the water, impeded from going down the scuppers and out the hoses due to my diver never touching the animals growing in the through-hulls, has gotten a lot of stuff well soaked.

Fast forward to almost 3 months after said swamping, when all that salt has had time to work, and I try to use my genset. It's not turning over with the same speed as before when I pull the cord. However, I eventually get it started.

It runs, but not as quickly as I'd expect, and shortly it starts smelling like melted plastic. I shut it off, open the hatch, and sniff; it’s coming from the back end. And, it now is VERY hard to turn over.

Research divulges that likely the inverter/charger section has not enjoyed the salt water. Off to a small engine shop, which was very discouraging when I called to talk about it, saying that they are rarely worth fixing, the cost of repair being too high vs another unit.

And that they sell Firman gensets.

I have no clue, as I've never heard the name, let alone know how they do. Research suggests that they are very well regarded (4.3/5 stars). Amazon sells them at a considerable reduction from others, only 499, shipped (https://www.amazon.com/Firman-W01781...855260-4904568). They also sell 2200i Hondas at 1099, shipped,4.7/5 stars (https://www.amazon.com/Honda-2200-Wa...855260-4904568). As I have no clue here (many other things as well, but some are not as time sensitive), I ask the hive mind:

Is this worth a try at half the price (well, somewhat under half), instead of going back with another Honda?

Second question. Shop calls me back, saying the rings are compromised and it's not worth fixing. If I have to replace the electrical end AND rebuild the engine I think I'd agree. But not a word about the electrical end, which is where I expect the issue lies. As I'd expect determining compromised rings would involve some disassembly, but the word came back in only hours from my dropping it off, I have some niggles in the back of my mind. Their forensic charge is only $35, which I consider quite reasonable given my expectation that they'd have to split the case, get to the electrical moving parts, and determine the level of damage. I expect that (nearly anything shown above) didn't happen.

So, the question arises: Can they reasonably determine ring damage without a teardown? It's a relatively young (in hours terms) unit, probably 1-1.5KH, always Mobil1 at ~100 hours, so I would not expect ring failure (unless, somehow, it got salt water into the cylinder); certainly it was smokeless including during the short time it ran post-swamping (though it did leave some smudge on the horseshoe it was pointed at, so it wasn't pristine), and always before that.

So after all that, two questions:

At half the price, in a unit entirely built (no outside parts) by Firman, is it worth the risk vs another new Honda genset?

and

Could they actually discover a ring problem without a teardown?

Thanks, for knowledge on both questions, opinions from anyone with Firman experience, and speed, as I'll need to have something relatively soon!

L8R

Skip

I expect to pass this way but once; any good therefore that I can do,
or any kindness that I can show to any fellow creature, let me do it
now.
Let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.

- Etienne Griellet

[skipgundlach]

After much discussion in various cruising circles, I've decided to bite the bullet and hope that the admiral's PTSD subsides sufficiently for us to cruise for many more years, albeit on a much restricted geographical diet, so we'll go to Lowe's and buy one of their cheapest-I've-found Honda 2200i replacements. I won't get my 5% rebate/points from Discover card as I would if I ordered it, free shipping from Amazon, but as their price is $70 higher than Lowes, I come out ahead - AND have a generator NOW - by doing it that way...

[1affiah]

Skip:
Now that you have nothing to lose, I would look into spray/soaking your favorite magic chemicals into the various components. Maybe pull the spark plug and pouring Marvel Mystery Oil into the combusion chamber, pull cord a few times, let it soak, repeat. Same with contact cleaner in the generator section. WD40 can be useful for both.
You may wind up with two worken gens!

[1affiah]

Similar to reviving a dunked outboard.

[skipgundlach]

Originally Posted by 1affiah

Skip:
Now that you have nothing to lose, I would look into spray/soaking your favorite magic chemicals into the various components. Maybe pull the spark plug and pouring Marvel Mystery Oil into the combusion chamber, pull cord a few times, let it soak, repeat. Same with contact cleaner in the generator section. WD40 can be useful for both.
You may wind up with two worken gens!

Well, the reply I'd just typed disappeared, so I apologize if this is a repeat.

I've had some success with distilled-water-immersion, blow-drying, and then coating with Corrosion Block on a variety of electro-mechanical, and electronic, stuff.

But I think that a rings problem, along with a full-contact/overheating electrical section might not recover without some serious surgery, the time unavailable to me personally and some considerable cost for parts if it were - so we're starting over...

Thanks for the thought, however...

[contrail]

Did you ever find out anything about the Firman?

[skipgundlach]

Originally Posted by contrail

Did you ever find out anything about the Firman?

A fair bunch:

Chinese (typical non-users denigrated, despite, e.g., that Apple makes all their gear there)

A staple among dry campers and other woody types

Sold by a bunch of places

Make the entire thing (as does Honda)

However, as seen, I've chosen to go back with the current generation of Honda, the 2200i...